Denis Papin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denis Papin
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Denis Papin, unknown artist, 1689.
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| Born | 22 August 1647 Chitenay, Kingdom of France
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| Died | 26 August 1713 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | French |
| Known for | Steam digester |
Denis Papin (born August 22, 1647 – died August 26, 1713) was a smart French physicist, mathematician, and inventor. He is best known for inventing the steam digester. This was an early version of a pressure cooker and an important step towards the steam engine. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society.
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Early Life and Learning
Denis Papin was born in Chitenay, France. He went to a Jesuit school there. In 1661, he started studying at the University of Angers. He earned a medical degree from there in 1669.
His Amazing Career
In 1673, Papin worked with famous scientists like Christiaan Huygens and Gottfried Leibniz in Paris. He became very interested in using a vacuum to create power.
Inventing the Steam Digester
In 1675, Papin visited London for the first time. He worked with Robert Boyle from 1676 to 1679. During this time, Papin invented the steam digester. This was a type of pressure cooker that had a special safety valve. The safety valve was very important because it stopped the cooker from exploding. He first showed his digester to the Royal Society in 1679.
Moving to Germany
Papin was a Huguenot, which meant he was a French Protestant. At that time, the King of France, Louis XIV of France, made it harder for Protestants to live freely. In 1685, the King removed a law called the Edict of Nantes. This law had protected Protestants. Because of these problems, Papin decided to move to Germany around 1687. He could live there with other Huguenots who had also left France.
Ideas for Diving Bells
In 1689, Papin had an idea for diving bells. He suggested using a pump or bellows to keep fresh air and pressure inside the bell. This design was later used by engineer John Smeaton in 1789.
Building the First Steam Engines
While in Marburg, Germany, in 1690, Papin saw how much power could come from atmospheric pressure. He built a small model of a piston steam engine. This was the very first engine of its kind!
Later, in 1705, he was teaching math at the University of Marburg. He worked with Gottfried Leibniz to develop a second steam engine. This engine used steam pressure instead of air pressure. He published the details of this engine in 1707.
The First Steam-Powered Boat
In 1705, Papin built a ship that was powered by his steam engine. The engine was connected to paddles, making it the first steam-powered boat ever! He wanted to sail his boat down the Fulda River to the Weser River.
However, there was a group of boatmen who controlled all the river traffic. They did not want competition from Papin's new steamboat. Sadly, they attacked his boat and broke it into pieces.
Later, he also made the world's first steam cylinder at an iron factory.
Return to London
In 1707, Papin went back to London, leaving his wife in Germany. He presented several of his scientific papers to the Royal Society. But he felt that they did not give him enough credit or pay him for his work. He was very unhappy about this.
Papin's ideas included a description of his 1690 atmospheric steam engine. This engine was similar to one built by Thomas Newcomen in 1712.
His Final Years
The last known letter from Papin was written on January 23, 1712. In it, he said he was in a "sad case," meaning he was very poor. It is thought that he died that year and was buried in an unmarked grave in London.
However, a record shows that a "Denys Papin" was buried on August 26, 1713. This was just a few days after his 66th birthday. The burial happened at St Bride's Church in London.
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Robert Boyle and Denis Papin looking at Papin's digester
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Papin's second steam engine, 1707
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A reconstruction of Papin's steam-driven water-lifting machine from 1707
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The record from St Bride's Church showing Papin's burial date
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The first piston steam engine, 1690
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Denis Papin's steam digester (1679)
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A "Papin" cooking pot from the late 1700s
His Legacy
Many places remember Denis Papin today. There is a street named Boulevard Denis Papin in Carcassonne, France. Another street is named after him in Saint-Michel, Montreal. You can also find a statue of Papin with his invention in Blois, France, at the top of a stairway called Escalier Denis Papin.
Works
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Nouvelle manière pour lever l'eau par la force du feu (1707)
Images for kids
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Papin's Memorial in St Bride's Church
See also
In Spanish: Denis Papin para niños
